5/5 Perfect Score

My favourite and most highest rated shoujo and josei manga series.

Screenshot from Nina the Starry Bride. The heroine is smiling.

Nina the Starry Bride

Name: Nina the Starry Bride
Mangaka: Rikachi

Volumes: 15 (Ongoing)
Licensed: Kodansha (Digital and Print)
Type: Manga
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Age Group: Everyone

Summary:  
Nina had a rough start to life, orphaned and stealing to survive, only to be abducted for her unusual lapis lazuli eyes. But to her surprise, her captor, Prince Azure, ordained that she would live the life of a princess…specifically, that of the recently deceased princess-priestess, Alisha, who had her same eyes. Despite her changing fortune, Nina won’t give up her old life without a fight. Azure might just be the one to finally match her wits, but how much can she trust him? And can she stop the feelings budding in her heart, knowing she must eventually marry another?
–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 5/5

Opinion: I have no doubt in my mind that Nina the Starry Bride will be considered a staple must-read Shoujo for this generation.

The art is very unique to this author. I find the characters have a much more baby face look to them that would usually bother me but I find it quite cute here. Very detailed lots of attention paid to designing this fantasy world, especially through fashion.

I have nothing bad to say about this series. It is so well-paced and even for a complex world it rarely leads to any confusion or frustration. The heroine is strong in her own way and her perseverance is inspiring.

For the romance it is a very heavy love triangle. One of the few times I am stumped as to who she is going to end up with. And even more so my choice for male lead is constantly swaying and strained. The tension is wonderful! (Unless you hate love triangles)

I think anyone who is interested in Shoujo manga must read this. Especially if you also enjoy fantasy or adventure series.

Final Rating: 5/5

Extra: None

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Nana Komatsu and Nana Osaki by Ai Yazawa

Nana

Name: Nana
Mangaka: Ai Yazawa

Volumes: 21 (Hiatus)
Licensed: Viz (21 Volumes: Digital/Paperback)
Type: Manga
Genre: Drama/Slice of Life
Age Group: Older Teen

Summary:  
Nana Komatsu is a young woman who’s endured an unending string of boyfriend problems. Moving to Tokyo, she’s hoping to take control of her life and put all those messy misadventures behind her. She’s looking for love and she’s hoping to find it in the big city. Nana Osaki, on the other hand, is cool, confident and focused. She swaggers into town and proceeds to kick down the doors to Tokyo’s underground punk scene. She’s got a dream and won’t give up until she becomes Japan’s No. 1 rock’n’roll superstar.

This is the story of two 20-year-old women who share the same name. Even though they come from completely different backgrounds, they somehow meet and become best friends. The world of Nana is a world exploding with sex, music, fashion, gossip and all-night parties.

–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 5/5

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Requiem of the Rose King Manga by Aya Kanno

Requiem of the Rose King

Name: Requiem of the Rose King (Bara Ou no Souretsu)
Mangaka: Aya Kanno

Volumes: 17 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (16 Volumes: Digital/Paperback) – (Complete)
Type: Manga
Genre: Historical/Tragedy/Action
Age Group: Older Teen/Mature

Summary:  
Richard, the ambitious third son of the House of York, believes he is cursed, damned from birth to eternal darkness. But is it truly fate that sets him on the path to personal destruction? Or his own tormented longings? Based on an early draft of Shakespeare’s Richard III, Aya Kanno’s dark fantasy finds the man who could be king standing between worlds, between classes, between good and evil.

–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 5/5

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Screengrab from Ichinose Kyoudai wa Gaman Dekinai. A teen boy holds a teen girl as he kisses her.

Ichinose Kyoudai wa Gaman Dekinai

Name: Ichinose Kyoudai wa Gaman Dekinai
Mangaka: Sakurai Mayu

Volumes: 2 (Complete)
Scanlations: V.02 Ch.08 (Complete)
Type: Manga
Genre: Slice of Life
Age Group: Older Teen

Summary:  
A new big beautiful guy is transferred in Hoshino’s class. Wait! He’s Ichinose, the troublemaker of middle school. At that time Hoshino has written a love novel between Ichinose and his new stepbrother. When the novel was discovered by a classmate, they make fun of them and triggered Ichinose’s wrath. Then ichinose transferred. Maybe was Hoshino’s fault? And now he’s back!
–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 5/5

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Screenshot from Demon Prince of Momochi House, Young Man leans into a young woman with a soft expression

Demon Prince of Momochi House

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Name: Demon Prince of Momochi House
Mangaka: Shouoto, Aya

Volumes: 16 (Complete)
Licensed: Viz (Complete – Digital/Paperback)
Type: Manga
Genre: Supernatural
Age Group: Teen

Summary:  
Momochi Himari, despite being an orphan, unexpectedly inherits an old house. Despite warnings she receives on the Momochi House being haunted, she decides to go live there anyway. She soon learns that the house is already occupied by three somewhat strange men, Aoi, Yukari and Ise, all of whom may or may not possess supernatural abilities to combat evil spirits. What happens when stubborn Himari decides to stay, despite being told to leave?
–Manga Updates

Graphics Rating: 5/5
Plot Rating: 5/5

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